Golf R Observations and Questions

[Big_Dave]

Got my first "meh". Those dunlop tyres are crap but the good side is, I won't feel bad scrubbing the fark out of them!
Maybe they're too new, I dunno but I had a bunch of various dunlops on XR6T's and hated them with a passion.

I thought VAG was putting potenzas on the R's?

[Highlander]

Interesting comparison. Christmas Tree GTI loaded with extras $58k drive away next to a bare bones manual R $55k drive away. Depends what you want I suppose but I know which one will have the higher resale value in 2-3 years.

[shakespeare]

Got my first "meh". Those dunlop tyres are crap but the good side is, I won't feel bad scrubbing the fark out of them!
Maybe they're too new, I dunno but I had a bunch of various dunlops on XR6T's and hated them with a passion.

I thought VAG was putting potenzas on the R's?

18" get Potenza's 19" get the Dunlops

I felt that too Dave, I put it down to my bad driving with my understeering moment, though you could be right with the tyres being new!

[HPSOV]

I have 18's and got Dunlop SportMaxx GT.

[RichoR2]

I have 18's and got Dunlop SportMaxx GT.

Same Dunlops on my car with 18s and 7 days into ownership of R had to fix a puncture due to glass. First puncture in 18 years of driving. The repair guy was very polite in suggesting a glass puncture is "very unusual these days" but I don't fix punctures every day so who knows what that means when it comes to the Dunlops? As for the grip and feel, I don't mind the tyres (German presumably as opposed to the Chinese Dunlops common here) having given the car a good run across the Great Dividing Range yesterday (as I said, on 18s but also no ACC and manual). In fact, given this is an observations thread I will observe that I got out of the car at Yea (Victoria) and wondered whether the experience of the previous 40 kms from Whittlesea of sweeping bends, climbs and twists was ordinary or extraordinary. The R was just effortless, and to me the steering felt lighter through the corners (but maybe I'm a dunce about what could be an obvious observation with an AWD vehicle!). My MkV GTI was a capable car on the same drive but the R just does its thing so much more efficiently and quietly and took tight corners at speeds that my GTI wouldn't get near, or should I say, at speeds I wouldn't dare! And I am parking any suggestion this is an R v GTI comparison right there as there is whole other laborious thread about that...

I wound down the windows to enjoy the experience a little more from the sound resonating off the forest but found I had to kick down the gears to get any aural delight from the exhaust. And the car didn't need it, it was happy to pull in 6th pretty much all the time. Exhaust wise, it is amazing how quiet the R actually is when cruising. Some wont like it and they will be RS 500 drivers etc, but for all the times my wife will be sitting next to me in the car for longer drives, it's exactly what I want. And the cornering ability will mean on those drives I reckon she will hardly notice the turns. I don't have the luxury of a partner who enjoys the driving like me - or maybe it's just my driving)

I then took the car on some sedate roads including the freeway up to Wangaratta and headed off the freeway towards Beechworth and then onto Wodonga as again, there are some good stretches of road here. And this is where the fun was to be had! I found myself in the middle of about 12 road bikes that had come on from a side road and so thought I'd see if I could keep up as we just hit a good stretch I know well. I actually think the bikes following me were a little surprised as I got a few looks as they eventually passed me ( I let 'em pass ) and a couple of thumbs up in fact! Again, the R stuck to the road like nothing I have experienced.

So after a total 350kms I have decided I am leaning towards extraordinary for one reason - it transfers from inner city driver to seriously committed driver to freeway cruiser and B road cruiser amazingly well meaning in my world where I encounter all these roads/conditions often, it covers all bases so much better than any car I have owned. My only real gap is the slight lag around town but that will, based on others' observations, be improved with a stage 1 next week. My last observation - it masks speed very, very well. I for one am a lot more respectful of its capabilities in that department now and especially will be with a stage 1 on board.

So, new R owners go and enjoy! Just watch out for glass and the stealth like creep of the speedo... as for me, I'm off to do the return trip now I've washed all the dead locusts off the car.

[SilvrFoxX]

Great write up..

[Fab_R]

Yep very good write up...(prefer the WJ type of write ups though....lol, only joking )

[dave_r]

I have 18's and got Dunlop SportMaxx GT.

Yeah that's what is on my 19's. Luck of the draw it seems.

I felt that too Dave, I put it down to my bad driving with my understeering moment, though you could be right with the tyres being new!

I think they're just average to be honest. The car has bags of grip but I found a few moments where you could feel the tyres not being able to cope. We'll see how they go.

Same Dunlops on my car with 18s and 7 days into ownership of R had to fix a puncture due to glass.

We copped the same thing in the Polo just a short time after delivery. It's annoying but what can you do?

So after a total 350kms I have decided I am leaning towards extraordinary for one reason - it transfers from inner city driver to seriously committed driver to freeway cruiser and B road cruiser amazingly well meaning in my world where I encounter all these roads/conditions often, it covers all bases so much better than any car I have owned.

Dead right there, I went out for breakfast this morning, left it in D and comfort, just so lazy and quiet. Compared to yesterday where I was flicking through gears like crazy and a mate heard me coming around the block hehe. Can't wait till it gets a few more km's on it!

Yep very good write up...(prefer the WJ type of write ups though....lol, only joking )

LOL

[SilvrFoxX]

Was thinking about the 0-100 figures being touted by VW.. the spec sheet says 5.6 seconds for the DSG, are these based on the 199 KW version or the Australian detuned 188KW version..if on the former what are the Australian 0-100 figures..?

Also given this reduction could it be playing into the lag that some say is noticeable...?

[SilvrFoxX]

Another question which has occurred to me about insurance.. with the difference between what the Golf R costs today to drive away and what I actually pay for it when it arrives what do I insure it for..? What have those of you who already have your Golf Rs been basing your estimate on or is it a case of replacement value for the first year